Fluff Fridays
by callmeportgas
Summary: All the crappy posts I contribute to Fluff Fridays, organised by vesperlionheart and thefreckledone. Different pairings every week! MultiSaku in a way.
1. Chapter 1

_**Please check out Tumblr for all the amazing stuff contributed!**_

 _ **[Fluff Fridays are organised by vesperlionheart and thefreckledone]**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**_

 **Prompt: rivalry**

 **Pairing: MinaSaku**

 **Edit: As a guest was enough to point out, I totally forgot to mention the pairing! Sorry about that.**

this was supposed to be much more angst-y but ended up being _very_ silly and light and I kind of lost track of the prompt halfway through?

 **Warnings: language, Minato being...me**

* * *

She'd missed him again.

Or her. But her ever-reliable instincts told her it was definitely a man.

For three months now, every time Sakura came home after a particularly hellish day, she'd find a takeout bag containing a box of _fresh_ anko dumplings sitting on her doorstep. If she hadn't been so tired and miserable, she might've been somewhat alarmed and creeped out, but at that moment she could only thank all the powers above for this little blessing.

She did check for poison, of course. But it was clear the first time, and it was clear this time around, and as she switched on the TV, she decided that her mystery Dumpling Guy really did have good intentions.

Now if only he could reveal his identity and not just _vanish_ into the night right after delivering the sugary goodness. She was pretty sure he wasn't a civilian, not with how fast he moved. She had never even managed to catch a glimpse of him-not for lack of trying-and that wasn't the strangest part.

Sakura could proudly admit that she was familiar with _all_ the joints that sold her favourite kind of dumplings. She had been to all of them at least once, and she was a regular at Kaede-san's restaurant. Well, she had been, until three months ago. Since then she had visited quite a few of the places again, even saving some of her dumplings for Choza, to see if he recognized them. She needed to know where they came from.

He didn't, to his dismay. And he was quite sure no one in Konoha sold these, or he'd definitely know about it. They both reached the same conclusion with similar, grim looks on their faces.

Her now favourite dumplings were home-made.

* * *

Minato rarely lost his temper.

He respected everyone, displaying his modest and down to earth personality, never one to show-off too much despite his flashy title. His peers thought he had an endless well of patience to draw from, with his calm expression and gentle smile that rarely, if ever, faltered.

But _fuck_ , there was a limit to everything. Even his supposedly unlimited supply of patience, which he found quite surprising. And now, he could barely restrain himself from grabbing Hiashi's ridiculously silky locks and throwing him off the Hokage Monument. Contrary to popular belief, he was not Konoha's most generous man, and there were some things he refused to share. That included the precious time and attention of Haruno Sakura.

Fingers twitching with the urge to wrap themselves around the Hyuga heir's neck, he observed them from across the street, eyeing the way he touched her forearm _just_ casually enough, spouting some nonsense-no doubt-with a sincere expression on his face. A soft giggle drew his attention back to Sakura's face, and just as he decided to go over and see what was going on, he was interrupted.

"Why are you sulking?"

Turning to look at the couple he was having dinner with, Minato attempted to smoothen out his expression, hoping no one noticed the angst-y look on his face.

"Oh, I believe he just saw the object of his affection being flirted with and his ego can't handle that."

' _WHY, KUSHINA?'_

The jinchūriki's boyfriend and his genin teammate, Natsu, just looked at him sympathetically as the Uzumaki cackled evilly. "It's okay, man. It's not like she's interested in him or anything. I don't think he's her type."

' _No, her type is tall, blonde and idiot,'_ Kushina thought exasperatedly.

Minato just scowled at her. At least Natsu was trying to make him feel better, unlike the spawn of Satan next to him. "Why are you listening to her? I just haven't seen her in a while and-"

"Oh? Okay, then. Let's fix that." He watched with rising panic as she stood from her seat, waving energetically at the pair standing a few meters away from the café. "Hey! _Hey!_ Sakura! Hiashi! Over here!" And just like that, he was ready to drown himself in his glass of iced tea. Natsu's whispers of _'Be cool'_ and _'It'll be fine; you can't possibly be worse than_ Hiashi _'_ didn't help much.

"Hey guys!" Sakura greeted happily as she ran over and practically jumped into Kushina's arms. "Oh, Minato! How's your shin? I'm sorry I was in such a rush yesterday, there was an emergency at the Hospital," she explained with that little smile she always seemed to reserve _just_ for him. He was sure that Kushina would disagree, which is why he would _never_ mention it to her.

"It's perfect, don't worry about that," He told her, pointedly ignoring the disbelieving stares being aimed at him. He spent ten minutes with her, it didn't count.

"Good evening, you two," her companion greeted politely. "Hello, Minato." He got an _extra_ polite greeting. How sweet.

"Hello, Hiashi." He fixed an icy smile on his face as their stare down commenced.

' _I hope all your hair falls off.'_

' _I hope you lose all your teeth, Namikaze.'_

"…Right. So," Kushina began. "How have you been? You had the day off, right?"

"Some of it. An ANBU team was rushed in around noon and I was called in. The surgery ended about an hour back. There were some…difficulties." This was news to Minato, who turned to her at once, examining the bags under her eyes. She looked like she was ready to fall over, but not particularly annoyed. She loved her job, and loved saving lives. Everyone knew that. Minato was one of the few who had witnessed the downside of her compassionate nature, _especially_ every time she lost younger patients.

The rest of the evening passed by quickly, and when it was finally time to leave, he made his move, offering to walk her home.

"Oh, um." She looked a little uncomfortable as she glanced at Hiashi.

"Unfortunately, Sakura has some business with me. Sorry, Minato," his lips curved up in what looked like a sinister smile to him. "Maybe next time."

The blond man clenched his fists, flashing them a strained one in return. "No problem." _'Fuck you, Hyuga.'_ But it was fine. He had things to do.

* * *

"Shit, that was so awkward."

"Sakura."

"You don't think that Minato thinks something is going on between _us_ , do you?" She looked anxious.

"Sakura."

"But I couldn't _possibly_ tell them the truth, they'd think I'm crazy!"

"Sakura!"

"I mean, you're helping me look for someone, and I'm not sure why I'm so desperate to know who they are, but I really wanted to thank them and-"

"Sakura, be quiet. I understand. You have explained it several times already."

She took a deep breath, cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah. Yes, sorry. Okay so, what now?" He almost sighed in relief.

"Well, your part is done. Hopefully, your admirer would have heard about today. You can go ahead to the compound and deliver the medicines to father. I'll head to your apartment soon."

"Admirer? Oh, no. You've got the wrong idea." He simply laughed in response. "Okay. Right. Um…good luck?"

* * *

He was late.

To be fair, he couldn't have known about the emergency today. His contact at the Hospital had the day off. No matter; he could leave them outside and disappear within seconds. She'd never know.

As he left his apartment, he briefly toyed with the idea of ringing the bell and handing them to her, letting her know just who it was she'd been searching for, but decided against it. It might make her too uncomfortable if she knew it was him, and she might even stop accepting his little way of trying to brighten her day. That was unacceptable, but _mostly_ because he knew how much she appreciated it.

Appreciated _him_ , in a way.

Approaching her house stealthily, he focused his senses for a few seconds, frowning when he couldn't sense her chakra signature. A glance at the windows told him the lights were off. She wasn't home.

' _Damn Hyuga…'_ He stood outside her home for a few seconds, unsure of what to do next.

"There you are."

Whirling around, his eyes widened in shock when he saw the figure standing behind him.

"What the-"

"Wait, what? _Namikaze_?" Hiashi's eyes drifted down to the bag in his hands, and his fingers tightened around it almost defensively. "Oh. Um. So _you're_ the Dumpling Guy." The what? "That's…okay, I'm not that surprised. Only you would be creepy enough to pull something like this."

His shock at being caught all but forgotten for a moment, he bristled in response. "Says the man who follows Hiyori around on a daily basis, like some weirdo stalker!"

"At least I don't follow her to her home!"

"And that makes it okay? Also, that is _not_ what I've been doing."

"Oh? What is it then? What exactly have you been doing?"

"I…I..um. Wait, I should be the one asking that question!" He rolled his eyes when the pearl-eyed male looked confused. "I was under the impression that you're interested in Hiyori! Why the heck have you been sniffing around Sakura?"

Hiashi brows just about flew upward and into his hairline at the other man's possessive tone. _Oh. Ohhh. I see._ "What's it to you?"

"What?"

"How is it any of your business?"

"I…"

"Yes?"

"Well."

"Go on."

Minato grit his teeth at the challenging gleam in his eyes. He knew the arrogant Hyuga thought he'd chicken out and go home. Well then, it was time to prove him wrong. "I love her," he finished just as someone landed next to them, his triumphant look morphing into one of mortification as emerald eyes looked at him in surprise.

"You love…who?" He couldn't get a proper read on her. Before he could hide it from her, she glanced at the paper bag. "Wait, that's…!"

"I…found it here," he said, trying not to cringe at Hiashi eye-roll. He knew he was being a coward. He silently handed it over to her.

"Oh, for God's sake, Namikaze! It's food, not a diamond ring!" Hiashi snapped at him, his rival's sudden vulnerability annoying him to no end.

"What are you talking about?" The blond man asked weakly, wondering why he couldn't just shut up and let the other man tell her the truth. "I just got here…" He wasn't ready. Somebody, turn back the clock! He was supposed to be the fastest man in all the nations, and here he was, frozen in place under the gaze of the girl he had fallen in love with.

"Fine." Hiashi, in a rare display of consideration, decided to let it be for now and turned to leave, when Sakura spoke up.

"Minato?"

"Yeah?" He couldn't quite meet her eyes, choosing to have his own focus on her nose. It was on the sharper side and she hated it, but he would plant a kiss right on its tip everyday if he could; if she would let him, he'd worship her like the queen really she was.

"You smell…sweet. Sugary," she told him evenly as Hiashi turned to see what she was doing. "Did you say you just got here?"

"Uh…yes?" _Why did that sound like a question?!_

"Okay. So, why do you have dry dough stuck on your hands?" There was a sudden stillness in the air as Minato looked down at his hands in growing horror. In his haste to get the sweets to her, he had decided to wash his hands after the delivery. He wanted to lay down on the ground and never move again.

Hiashi was strangely torn between laughing and sympathising with him. He contemplated interfering and securing a favour from the Namikaze, when the decision was made for him.

"What were you saying when I got here? That you love someone?" He fled the scene quietly, knowing it was something he should definitely not intrude upon. Perhaps Hiyori would be up to having coffee with him?

"You heard that."

"Yep."

He could only sigh and drop down to sit on the door step, Sakura following his lead wordlessly. Minato did, however, raise a brow when she took out the box and set to eating the contents. "What, I had a shitty day. I need this."

"So I heard." They sat in silence for another minute or so. Taking one stick from the box she held out to him, he took a bite and tried to get his thoughts in order.

"I do have to say, though…you make _the best_ dumplings in Konoha. But why all the secrecy?"

"Would you really accept them if you knew they came from me?" He answered before she could. "Maybe once or twice, but you'd feel weird after that. I make them for you about thrice a week."

"Because it's…You do have a very busy schedule, everyone knows that. So the fact that you actually manage to make time for something like this…" Her eyes asked him a question he wasn't sure he was ready to answer.

But he wanted to, he realised. He was tired of her…not knowing.

"I do it because it makes you happy," he told her honestly. "And I _want to_ make you happy. I love you." He could feel his throat closing up.

"…" Her cheeks were brighter.

"And it only takes about thirty minutes," he couldn't help but add. "That includes twenty minutes of prep time. So, not too long."

"Um."

Maybe she wasn't ready to give him a straight answer? "It's actually a family recipe. I don't mind giving it to you if you're, you know, not comfortable with…this." Was that a good way out? He was getting flustered, trying to fill in the silence when he felt a sudden warmth on his cheek.

Pressing her lips to his soft cheek, Sakura pulled away, her cheeks flaming. "Okay. Yes, okay. I love you. Too." She told him before suddenly dropping her forehead onto his shoulder, unable to meet his eyes.

Blinking in slight bewilderment for a few moments, Minato tried to smother his growing smile, turning to take her into his arms instead. He couldn't help it; he laughed, relief spreading into his very bones. Her arms came to wrap around his midsection as she grinned at his joyful reaction. They sat still, both of them processing the revelations silently when he pulled away a bit, trying to look at her face. "Are you sure?"

"…eh?" She furrowed her brows, not sure what he meant.

"You're not just going along with what I said? Because I've said it already. I want you to be happy. Even if it's not with me."

"What? No. I love you!" She rushed to assure him, flushing when he grinned, hugging her again. She buried her face into his chest, thankful that the weather was more pleasant than usual. It was silent again.

"Or is it for the dumplings? Oh my, a dumpling-digger?" He laughed when Sakura pulled away, ready to make him pay for that comment. Before she could pound him into the ground, he took her chin between his thumb and index finger, ducking his head to press his lips to hers. He licked his lips when he pulled away; Sakura might just make him develop a sweet tooth.

She gaped at him, unable to form a proper response. Cheeks flushing, she let him bring her into the safety of his arms yet again, placing a quick kiss to his jawline before getting comfortable.

They could figure out the details later. She still had to ask him how he had the treats delivered when he was out on a mission.

* * *

 _ **...Yeah.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Fluff Friday: Anunnaki**

 **Prompt: Angels**

 **Pairing: ShisuiSaku**

 _ **Some information might be painfully inaccurate! Please don't set me on fire. I've referred to this text which could be completely wrong.**_

 _Anunnaki: They are the Sumerian deities of the old primordial line. Anunnaki were culturally and technically advanced people who situated themselves in the slopes of Middle East around 8200 BC. Their primary goal was to establish agricultural centre for learning and training of local population. They're the children of the Sky God (Anu) and his consort, the Earth Goddess (Ki)._

 _Hashirama: Anu (God of the Sky/Heaven)_

 _Mito: Ki (Goddess of the Earth)_

* * *

He lived for her. To serve her.

His family had initially protested his decision to serve her in such a way; with them being the first family established here in Shuruppak, they were well-respected in their little community, even though they weren't a big part of establishing the agriculture. No, they were a clan of warriors, along with the Hyugas. The Nara, the Yamanaka and the Akimichi were the driving forces when it came to agriculture, trade and resources. But they all lived under one banner, under one of the Anunnaki.

Sakura.

She was their leader, the one to unite them, the one to thank for everything they could claim as theirs. The daughter of Hashirama and Mito. They had several other children, who founded their own villages with unique cultures. The only ones they were familiar with were the twin deities and Tenth Sons, Naruto and Menma, along with Kakashi, the Third Son. The one they were first made aware of, however, was the First Son and their own ancestor, Madara. But after his rebellion, his pink haired sister was the one who gave them a home and shielded them from humiliation. That is why his elders gave in to his decision. To be given a chance to guard their saviour from every danger was the highest honour.

It was Shisui's personal belief that Sakura was _the_ most beautiful child of The Shining One and his beloved. It was only when he looked at her, that he believed in the higher powers. A being as magical as her couldn't have been created by any lesser powers.

Shisui watched as she discussed the recent crop yield with Shikamaru, her expression attentive and shoulders squared, and he smiled when she turned to look at him in dismay as Ino announced the arrival of the head of his clan.

"What can I do for you, Fugaku?" She inquired, face smooth and no sign of the irritation he could sense in her.

"Sakura-sama. I'm here to report the minor scuffle that took place at our eastern border." At once, everyone in her temple straightened.

"Go on."

He nodded and looked down at the clay tablet in his hands. "My younger son, Sasuke, was patrolling the area. He came across ten members of an unknown village, but after their defeat he discovered that they come from Zabala."

"A's village," she muttered. "Send Itachi and Hinata to deal with it. Keep them alive, if they can." He nodded again and got up to leave, only to pause and turn to her again.

"Yes?"

"Sakura-sama…it has been brought to my attention that you are in need of a consort?"

Sakura had to keep from frowning when she felt the man behind her tense. "And?"

"My sons-" He was cut off by her raised palm.

"I know of them. And the sons of all the other clan heads. I will tell you what I told them. When I choose, you'll know. But not before then." He sighed and bowed before leaving, and as soon as he did Sakura turned to level a glare at Ino.

"It wasn't me."

"Who else could it have been?" She grumbled as the blonde girl brought the crown of flowers she had spent the last hour weaving to her, and placed it on her headful of pink spikes.

"Are you sure you don't want to grow out your hair?" Ino asked, pouring three glasses of ale at Shisui's nod.

"I'm sure. Why, am I not angelic enough for you guys?" Sakura couldn't help but tease them, and Ino snorted and sipped at her cup.

"You'd look beautiful even if you shaved your head," Shisui was quick to answer with a shake of his head. Sakura flushed and placed a hand on forearm with a small smile.

"And that's my que to leave. I'll be at Chouji's; he's supposed to give me a recipe and his family scribe agreed to write it today." The tall blonde strutted down the steps of the temple, laughing at the two young guards who stood straighter at her appearance. There was a beat of silence before Sakura stood up and gestured for Shisui to follow her to her quarters. He did so, and upon entering the bedchambers headed straight to her private bath. It was located in a private hall at the back of the temple, and Sakura had told him that it had been a gift from her fourth brother, Yamato, to congratulate her for founding her own village. The bath had been built into the ground with steps leading into it on two sides. It had been built as a miniature version of the famous Great Bath he had in his own village. Every village that followed usually had the same efficient structure as his; the drainage systems were the most convenient part.

Shisui knelt down and grabbed the fragrant oils from their place on the low stone table. These, had been a gift from Karin, Eleventh Daughter and one of Sakura's closest confidants. She had made them herself. As he set to pouring exactly ten drops into the heated water, he heard her enter, along with the rustle of cloth as it fell to the floor. He turned to see her standing with the shimmery fabric pooled at her feet, watching him intently. He had to swallow at the sight of her tanned and pink skin and focused on his task.

"Thank you."

"It's my pleasure, Sakura-sama." And it really was, he decided as he held out a hand to her and helped her into the water. If it had been anyone else she would have ignored at the attempt to help her and slid straight into the bath. But, he was her constant companion. He had been there when her Father had sent her bead necklaces of every colour, watched her gush and beam over them as she declared her intent to wear one every day.

He had been there with her when her then youngest brother lay dead on the ground, fallen from grace. He had watched as she took his blade and took all her hair in one hand, and cut it off as tears streamed down her face and onto his cooling flesh. Konohamaru had been as dear to her as her own future offspring and Madara had ruined him.

Shisui held a special place in her life, and in her heart.

He shrugged off his vest and undid the strings of the cloth on his lower half. He sat on one of the last steps of the pool, and Sakura immediately swam over to settle between his legs. His fingers found the familiar position within her hair, scrubbing gently. Blunt fingernails grazed her scalp and she had to close her eyes.

"It _is_ rather easier to wash it this way," he murmured as his lips barely traced the shell of her ear.

She laughed at his comment, her body relaxing into his as she turned and picked up a different bottle. Pouring a few drops onto her palms, she rubbed them together before settling them on his shoulders, massaging firmly. She pointedly ignored his disapproving gaze.

"Sakura-sama…"

"Please, Shisui. I don't want to hear that from you."

"You're-"

"And _we_ are equals."

"No, we aren't," he whispered. "Not yet." She took his chin between her thumb and forefinger, forcing him to look up and into her eyes.

"For me, we already are. For everyone else, we will be. I will have you, or no one," she told him fiercely before crushing his mouth to hers, growling when he pulled away.

"Your father-"

"Won't care. I'm sure Mother already knows; she knows of everything that goes on here on this land, and I'm sure that she has let him know that I have chosen my partner. If you are afraid of Fugaku, well then that is absolutely ridiculous. I will crush anyone who objects to our union." At his raised brow she hastened to explain. "Verbally, I mean. I am the only one who can choose my mate, and I have chosen you," she told him, chin up and back straight. "Not Itachi or Neji."

"Well, my love," He told her teasingly. "I'm honoured to be your chosen one."

"You should be," she said haughtily. He laughed and held her close to him, placing gentle kisses all over her face, hands ghosting over her sides insistently as she tried to escape his hold, unable to control her giggles.

Sakura declared Shisui to be her consort the very next day, and no one dared to protest. They had three children, two sons and one daughter. Kagami and Shoutaro. Kyoko, his little shadow. Shisui loved his family beyond words, and he attempted to convey the same to Sakura every single day. He loved the way she acknowledged his feelings. Her village, with its seven clans, lived in peace for many more years until the storm finally came for them.

He lived for her, and when Madara returned, in the body of Obito, he died for her.

* * *

 _ **Let me know what you think!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Sapphire Queen**

 _ **Pairing: MadaSaku**_

 _ **Prompt: mystery**_

 _ **Warnings: none, except these caves don't actually exist**_

* * *

His brother had been missing for almost a week.

His baby brother, adventurous to the point of _foolishness_ , had disappeared while exploring some cave in the middle of nowhere. Madara eyed the entrance of said cave critically, rolling up the sleeves of his white button up in preparation. As soon as he got the call, he'd called Nagato to his office and told him he was in-charge for the next two weeks. He had a brat to find.

According to Itachi-Izuna's partner for this exploration and their nephew-they flew down to Malaysia in search of mystical caves with gleaming walls, and some jewelled temple. Madara, of course, booked his plane ticket within minutes, but not before cursing Itachi out for not telling him immediately. He, and the rest of their team had spent the rest of the week searching but as always, he had to do the job himself.

And here he was, standing in front of the infamous Berkilat caves.

"I don't see any shiny walls," he commented blandly. He shook off the feeling of déjà vu.

"It looks like a normal cave on the outside. But when you enter it…" Shisui trailed off and Madara just raised a brow. "Well, you'll see."

"If this place really is that beautiful, why isn't it a tourist spot?"

"This deep in the jungle? With the kind of reputation it has? Uncle, people have tried to fully explore this place for _decades_ and the ones who get too close are usually never seen again."

"Wonderful. And you lot thought you were special, that you would be the chosen ones, the only ones the cave would accept. How fucking stupid _are you_?" He watched, with some amount of satisfaction, as the younger Uchihas hung their heads in shame.

"Did…did you tell Father?" Itachi asked nervously.

"And give him a heart attack? _No_ , you fool. I will take care of this. Let Aniki enjoy his retirement." The two just sighed in relief as Madara checked his equipment once again. Itachi hurried off to where Kisame and Deidara stood, giving them instructions as they were supposed to meet Obito and his husband, Kakashi, in the nearest town in a week.

"Alright, so Itachi and I will take you straight to the spot where he last saw Izuna."

"Mhm."

"Also, why are you wearing a shirt?"

"I'm comfortable." The glare he levelled at Shisui told him not to ask any more questions.

"Right, okay. So should we?" Madara nodded and the three of them set off towards the place that had swallowed up his brother. If this was what he thought he was, then they were screwed. A part of him, however, couldn't help but be excited. He had given up his adventuring for his father's legacy, but the way his heart thudded in his chest was familiar and had nothing to do with fear for his brother's life. The one thing he was certain of, was that Izuna was not dead.

"One more thing." They turned to him in slight fear and trepidation. "I'm glad to see you two unharmed." With that he ruffled their hair and set off with a small smile, missing their shared grins.

* * *

The first fifteen minutes inside the cave were uneventful, following the map Itachi had sketched with a few turns but barely any climbs, and no special structures, just stone and mud. When they got to what at first glance looked like a steep slope, Madara paused to peer down into the dark, raising his flashlight almost hesitantly.

"Are those-?"

"Stairs," Itachi confirmed as they continued carefully. Madara could feel the dread slowly creeping into his gut, which twisted when he placed a hand on the wall for support and felt the carvings. Turning to study the petroglyphs, he traced the stone wall in wonder, his fingers barely brushing against the carved figures that _seemed_ to be kneeling, freezing when they got to the one being worshipped, with the spiral sun carved right above its head.

"Well, sort of," Shisui remarked because the way down was quite narrow and one misstep could send them tumbling down into the unknown. "These carvings are insane. We have _got_ _to_ get Sasori and his camera in here." As they reached the end of the steps, Itachi stopped and squatted down, aiming his flashlight at the low entrance that led down another tunnel. They could see something sparkle in the distance.

"This is where we stopped. I'm still not sure what happened; we only wanted to explore a little as the actual exploration was to start the next day. Well, Izuna wanted to continue but we weren't carrying enough water and I felt it would be a little too unsafe to go any further," Itachi told him with pursed lips. "As I turned to climb back up, I just…blacked out. And woke up at the entrance." They heard a sudden thud, and the younger explorers almost jumped in terror and tried to breathe. Madara seemed unconcerned, which calmed them considerably more.

"Unharmed?"

"Yes."

"I see." Out of habit, he tugged at the pendant resting on his chest, drawing his nephews' curious eyes to it. It was something they'd seen him wear all their lives, a small square of sapphire hanging from black thread. They were certain there was something carved on it but had never quite managed to catch even a glimpse. Madara noticed their wandering gazes and tucked it back into his shirt. "Shall we?" They got on all fours and crawled into the low opening, Shisui leading the way. A few minutes later, they were shuffling out of the tunnel, and right into a cavern.

"Stunning, isn't it?" Shisui remarked as he soaked in the sight. The walls were no longer old stone and carvings; they were a deep blue and it was darker in the ceiling that, almost looked like a starry sky. The sparkle of the stone distracted them enough to miss the shadow that danced by behind them.

"Nilam…" Madara breathed. The stone resting over his heart grew warm and he could feel his palms getting sweaty.

"Sapphire?" Shisui wanted to know.

"Yes," he murmured. They noticed the exit on the other side, starting off towards it at once while they kept an eye out for their missing adventurer. They stuck close, with Madara bringing up the rear with an almost resigned look on his face, which was justified moments later when Itachi and Shisui slowed to a stop. They would have fallen over if it weren't for their uncle catching them and lowering them to the ground gently. "Hm. I thought so." He could feel the pendant burn in response to her presence.

"Did you?"

"It's not often that I find myself reaching the wrong conclusion," he stated as he rose, studying the figure that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Jade eyes, with vertical slits for pupils, stared back at him in slight amusement.

"You have matured, but I see that your arrogance has grown even more."

"And you've barely changed." Her hair was as pink as the last time he'd seen it, only longer and shinier, pulled up into a high tail at the back of her head. Her ears, sitting atop her head, twitched as she perked up at his comment.

"Does that surprise you?" His eyes slid down to her hips, lips curving up ruefully when he spotted the extra furry limb curved around them. One could almost mistake it for a belt. At his gaze, she uncurled it slowly and shook it out, waving it through the air.

"Not at all." They stood in silence for a few more moments, taking in the sight of each other.

"You never came back," Her voice was even but she was given away by her tail, which seemed to go limp as it lowered to reach her ankle.

"I couldn't." He remembered how desperately he'd wanted to return, but with their father dead for years and Fugaku's fading health, he had no other choice. So he traded his hat and boots for paperwork and…more paperwork.

"Why are you here?" This time, her tail seemed to twitch in excitement, an air of mischief around her.

"You know why I'm here, Sakura," he told her with a hint of exasperation.

She hummed, flaring her aura slightly but not enough to overwhelm him. One of her masked warriors appeared through the opening that led to her kingdom, Izuna resting safely in his arms. He was handed over to Madara with no resistance whatsoever.

The elder Uchiha snorted when he heard the soft snores, brushing a hand through dark hair fondly. "Why did you take him?"

"I couldn't resist. He…felt too much like you. Is he your brother?"

"Yes."

"Hm. I apologise for any trouble I might have caused. That was not my intention."

"I know," He elaborated when she only gave a slow blink. "Your intention was to get me here."

She hissed at him. "Arrogant monkey." He didn't miss the twitch of her lips.

"Cunning cat." She huffed and turned to leave. He ignored the way he almost stepped forward to follow after her. It had been sixteen years, but he could never tie himself down to another woman, when his dreams were, even now, haunted by a queen. But here she was. Not a dream.

"Are you coming?" She had turned to regard him with a devious smirk. But he couldn't leave his family in the middle of a cave, no matter how badly he wanted to touch her hair again. And no one entered her world without her permission. "You may bring them with you. Sai," She turned to the silent warrior. "Call Naruto. Carry his kin to my palace." He nodded and rushed off to get his partner while Madara stood in stunned silence. This was an unprecedented situation. He wondered if her people had become friendlier in all these years. Sai returned with a young blond man, with the same ears as Sakura and a furry, yellow tail vibrating with excitement.

"I'm Naruto!" He introduced himself with a sunny grin, the whiskers across his cheeks twitching.

"Madara. It's a pleasure to meet-"

"I know who you are!" Naruto cut him off excitedly.

"Ah. Yes, first human guest," he stated dryly.

"Well, that too. But you're the human our queen's been waiting for!" His tail was almost out of control, Madara noticed distractedly. He also noticed Sakura increase her pace, almost sprinting out of the cavern. "Tsunade-our mother-told me you're the reason why she still hasn't taken a mate!" His eyes shined with hope. His sister was stubborn to a fault but he understood that for them, love comes once and never leaves again.

"Is that so?" Madara asked slowly, lips curving to form a smirk. He was walking slowly with Izuna slung over a shoulder. From what he remembered, they took mates at a young age. He faltered as he realised just how long she had waited, when he hadn't expected her to even remember him.

"Yes! That's why she's so aggressive! Jiraiya-our father-told me it's se…se um, sexual frustration?" He paused as a furious shriek that sounded like his name reached their ears. "Is that bad?" The boy asked, looking adorably lost. The dark haired man straightened with a strengthened resolve, deciding to, for once, be a little selfish and pursue his own happiness.

Madara chuckled a bit darkly, reaching out to pat Naruto's head in what was meant to be a reassuring manner, but came off as predatory. Sai inched away from him. "Don't you worry. I'm here now," He raised his voice to ensure his words reached the one they were actually aimed at.

And this time, he wouldn't let go.


	4. Chapter 4

_**24th February 2017**_

 _ **Prompt: Resort**_

 _ **Pairing: Sakura & Shisui**_

* * *

"It's Ino's fault." Sakura blamed her blonde best friend for her current predicament. She was stuck on an island she was not familiar with, which was understandable since she'd been here for about a week now. And she was alone, away from her friends.

 _Well,_ she amended _, not completely alone._ She looked across the cave to see the raven haired man still smiling at her. _Shisui's here._

But Shisui is a stranger. _Sort of_. He refused to believe she doesn't know him.

* * *

"I know you."

"Um," Sakura replied, looking back at a giggling Ino for help. Hinata looked worried as she waved the manager over.

"Do you not recognize me?" The man was, as pointed out by Temari, tall and well built, and very interested in her. They'd arrived at Ka Lani resorts yesterday; it had been Ino's idea to come to Luna Island for their annual vacation this year. They had just left the hotel lobby when the man in white linen pants had spotted them and rushed right over, looking at Sakura with an expression of awe and relief.

"Is there a problem?" Obito asked worriedly. He paused when he saw the other man, who still refused to look away from Sakura. His gaze shifted to the girl for a moment, his expression conflicted before he smiled tersely and gestured for the man to come with him. His stern gaze booked no room for an argument, and any protests made faded away. Sakura looked back at the person who claimed he knew her, shifting slightly at the soft smile she found there. Her fingertips felt like they were on fire, but looked fine when she glanced at them.

"I'm Shisui," he introduced himself. "I'll see you later, Sakura." She found herself nodding as he walked away with the manager, a feeling of discomfort settling in her stomach because, she realized, she never gave him her name.

* * *

He was important on this island, Ten Ten had managed to find out. The part of his family that was involved in business, owned the hotel, while the other half owned other parts of the land. She didn't know why she should care, as she was sure they wouldn't see him again.

"Are you following me?" Sakura blurted out in slight alarm. A wave of irritation washed over her when he simply blinked in response. She'd been running into the raven haired stranger everywhere she went and it was starting to freak her out.

"I was here before you," he told her, the corner of his lips lifting up into a slight smile. "Are you sure you aren't the one following me?"

"Why-I-of course not," she sputtered. He laughed at that, and she did not like the way it seemed to warm her entire being. She did not know this man but the dimple that appeared at the corner of his mouth settled something in her soul and the knowing twinkle in his eyes excited and frustrated her in equal amounts.

Sakura adjusted the straw hat on her head with a frown and turned away from him, walking away with her head held high. She tried her best to hide the shiver caused by the feeling of his eyes on her.

"Why don't you just ask him out?" Ino hooked an arm around hers, waving back at Shisui who was still watching her. She resisted the urge to look back, dragging her friend away.

"Why would I?" she shot back. She had lived without this kind of love all her life and did not want to allow it in now. "C'mon, the girls are waiting. Weren't we going scuba diving today?" Ino just rested her head on her best friend's shoulder because for her, it was only a matter of time.

* * *

"You don't know me," Sakura told him firmly. "And I don't know you, we have never met before, I'm sure of it." She blinked back tears and it left her feeling confused because she wasn't sad at all. Shisui didn't say anything, watching her hold herself together quietly. She looked down at the sand below, wiggling her toes in.

"So, this needs to stop," she continued and this time a few tears managed to escape from the cage of her eyes, slipping down her cheeks until they met the pads of his thumbs. He had reached out to wipe them away, looking at her with a look of intense concentration before deciding something.

"Okay," he said simply.

"Okay?" she asked in confusion, not expecting the easy compliance from the man who had-just last night-chased away any man trying to talk to her at the bar. Granted, all he did was sit next to her quietly, but not many people wanted to challenge someone like him.

He nodded before tapping her on the cheek. "Don't cry. I'll stay away." And with that he walked away. Her fingertips were too hot again and she ran toward the sea to cool them off. Ino found her there when she came looking, kneeling in the shallow waters as she tried to put a stop to the tears. Sakura sunk into her arms, finding the familiar feeling of warm safety there.

"I don't understand," she whimpered into her shoulder.

"I do," Ino told her. Sakura looked up at her in confusion. "Which is why I know you can't keep him out of your life now that you've found him. You're hurting him and yourself. Just let go." Ino knew because she had this love in her life. Sakura had always asked her what love felt like. But it was only now that she realised Ino hadn't been kidding when she told her love is magic.

So she went looking for him, asking Obito where she could find him. He looked relieved as he gave her directions to what seemed to be a cave, wishing her luck before she left.

* * *

Sakura was successful in finding Shisui, but the moment he turned away from the turquoise crystal walls, she lost her nerve and attempted to exit the strange cave. Only to find the beach gone, replaced by the wild waves of the ocean. Had the cave somehow been elevated? She suspected she would not find out anytime soon. She had no way out.

"You're earlier than expected," he remarked, still in his seated position against the wall, legs crossed and head tilted to the side. She expected him to be annoyed but the dimple told her he was more amused than anything.

"My best friend is smart and knows me better than I know myself," she said by way of explanation, which he surprisingly accepted.

"I have one of those too," he said with a knowing grin. She looked curious so he elaborated. "How else do you think I've managed to stay so calm? I felt helpless when you said you didn't recognize me."

She felt guilty which was stupid. He was the weird one here, not her. She sat down next to him, drawing her knees to her chest as her heart finally calmed completely for the first time in days. "I still don't understand."

"It's okay," Shisui smiled down at her. He hesitated before gently bumping her shoulder with his. "You're finally here. That's enough for me, I...I've been waiting my whole life for you to come along." Her fingertips were cooling now, and she wondered if touching him would change that in any way.

"How did you know?"

"Sakura," he chuckled. "I've met you before. Not in this world, but I've been dreaming of you for what feels like forever. That's why I say I know you. You've always been with me."

"Then why isn't it the same for me?" she asked desperately. "Why was I alone?" It was pretty unfair when looked at in that way. She had yearned for this feeling, but no one had been able to just make her feel.

"I'm sorry," Shisui whispered, pulling her to his chest. "I'm here now, I'm sorry." He rested his forehead against hers, rubbing her cheeks soothingly as she trembled with the burden of years of loneliness and the feeling of being incomplete.

"You should know," she began shakily. "I have no intention of letting you go now."

"Good," he rubbed his nose to hers affectionately. She looked at him for a moment before steeling her nerves and tilting her head up to press her lips to his before she could chicken out. The contact sent an almost cooling wave down her spine as Shisui seemed to almost melt against her. His hands were impossibly warm on her cheeks as her icy fingers slid into his hair and across the nape of his neck. She pulled back with a gasp as something within her seemed to finally be complete, Shisui holding her close as she tried to process the change. A dazed look on her face, Sakura giggled as she reached up to cup Shisui's cheek as he waited patiently.

"I _do_ know you."


End file.
